Adventures in Babysitting Part Deux
by Magali1
Summary: *Completed (3 chapters added) 4/25/2013* Sequel (ish) to Adventures in Babysitting. Landry and Tyra get to fully experience the adventure that is Sera Riggins when Eric is out of town.
1. Uncle Landry

_**A/N:**_ You don't necessarily have to have read **Adventures in Babysitting** to read this story, but it might be helpful, because Sera is an original character and much of her personality isn't explained in this fic as it was in the first one. Anyway, let's return to the adventures of Sera, with Landry and Tyra instead of Coach Taylor :) Enjoy!

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**Chapter One: Uncle Landry**

"So sorry about this, but you know, her usual babysitter is actually in Hawaii," Tim said, rummaging around in the kitchen, opening and closing cabinets and drawers. He threw the door to the refrigerator shut, going to look in the stove while he spoke. "And well, you know, she can't come with us…"

Landry frowned, shrugging a little. "No problem. Um…you sure Lyla's okay in there?"

"Tim! The baby's coming! Get the damn keys!"

"I'm looking!" he yelled back, going into the living room. Landry followed, finding this entire situation quite amusing. He glanced over at the recliner, where their daughter was perched, munching on a bowl of popcorn, some video going on the TV.

A dog that resembled a lion sat against the window, watching him curiously. He cleared his throat. "So Coach Taylor was her babysitter?"

"Uncle Coach is my nanny."

"Your…nanny?"

"Babysitter," Tim corrected, throwing a cushion from the couch at the girl. "Help me look for the keys Sera, where did you put them? I have four cars and no keys."

Lyla stood in the doorway, leaning hard against it, her hand on her stomach. "Tim, I'm going to start walking to the damn hospital or you're delivering a baby in this hallway!"

"Sera! Come on and help me! Where did you put the keys?"

The little girl looked up from her popcorn, shrugging. "I dunno. Maybe in my playroom." She turned, looking over at her mother. "Mommy are you having that baby here?"

"Sweetheart I might, where are the keys?"

"Ugh, fine." Sera hopped off the chair, going into her playroom and emerging with a set of car keys. "Here you go."

"Thank you!" Tim grabbed her, kissing her forehead. "I love you so much. When I see you again, you'll have a new baby brother, won't that be fun?"

"I do not think so, no."

He ignored her, setting her back down. "Love you baby, say bye to Mom!"

"Bye."

"Bye baby!" Lyla called, rushing towards the front door with Tim, waving. "We'll call you Landry! Thanks for coming over!"

"Sure." He wondered why he even answered his phone. How did they even get his number anyway? It was Easter weekend, so he was visiting his parents, and his phone went off. Answering the phone at four in the morning probably wasn't the best idea in the world. Answering the phone at four in the morning from Tim Riggins…again, probably not the best idea in the world.

This wasn't the first time he'd babysat Sera Riggins. It probably wouldn't be the last, but…he figured after he and Tyra broke up that those days would be few and far between.

Look at him now, six in the morning and he was sitting here, watching her eat popcorn. "Don't you want breakfast food?" he asked.

"Nope," she answered, throwing a piece of popcorn at him.

"You know that's not very nice."

Sera threw a piece of popcorn in the air and caught it in her mouth, giggling. "Sorry. So…" she drawled, setting the bowl aside, her hands crossing in her lap. Her eyes narrowed. "Uncle Coach is in Hawaii. I don't know why."

"I would assume based on the fact that it's Hawaii, that he's there for vacation."

"I don't think that Hawaii is a state."

"I think you might be incorrect."

"Texas is a republic. Daddy says that it's its own state."

Landry sighed. He'd had this discussion with her before. "Texas is a republic, but it is still a state, and your Daddy is wrong."

Uh oh. Sera's nostrils flared, her eyes widening. "Daddy is never wrong."

"Hate to break it to you, but most people are wrong at least once."

"I'm never wrong." Sera hopped off the chair, walking over to him, her arms crossing her chest. She scowled. "Where is Aunt Tyra?"

Probably back in D.C. being Tyra and pretending no one else but her existed in the world, he thought darkly. He shook his head. "I don't know. I'm not dating your Aunt Tyra anymore." I tried to propose to your Aunt Tyra and she said no. That's why I'm not dating your Aunt Tyra anymore.

Sera sat on the coffee table, crossing her legs and arms. She pursed her lips, waiting a moment before speaking. "Uncle Billy said that Aunt Tyra and Daddy slept together. What's that mean?"

Son of a…he sighed. "You're too young to know what that means."

"Fine. Do Mommy and Daddy sleep together?"

"I would imagine so as she's having a baby."

"What's that mean?"

Nevermind. He really didn't feel like explaining the birds and the bees to a seven-year old. She was going to learn soon enough and her world would be traumatized and she'd have to go through heartbreak over and over and over again and clearly never learn…

Sera frowned, her eyes narrowed to slits. "What's wrong with you Uncle Landry?"

"I'm fine Sera. How long have you been awake?"

She scratched the back of her knee, shrugging. Her hand held out in front of her, she studied her fingernail polish, which was black and purple. "I dunno. Mommy started yelling when it was still dark outside. What's wrong with her?"

Did this kid have a memory disorder? Landry leaned back on the couch, reaching for his bag and removing his laptop. Maybe he could get some work done, she was seven, right? She could just entertain herself. "She's having a baby."

"Was it hurting her?" Sera shook her head, scowling. "I don't think that we should keep the baby if it hurts people."

"The baby was not hurting her. She was mad at your dad."

"Oh, well that explains everything," Sera said, obviously quoting someone, walking away from him to her playroom.

Thank goodness, he thought, opening up a file and beginning to work on a brief. Environmental law was pretty interesting, but mostly consisted of boring work and research. He opened up his email, looking at one from Tyra that just said "Please Open."

Please delete, he translated in his head, trashing the email. Right now he did not want to listen to her. Or her excuses. He was done. Coming back to Dillon was a bit of an escape from D.C. Plus, he had interviews back in Houston and in Austin next week.

"Hey Uncle Landry?"

"What?"

"Where's the phone?"

He lifted his head. That probably wasn't good. "Why?"

"Just curious." Sera poked her head around the wall, smiling innocently. "In case Daddy calls."

"Um, on the counter in the kitchen, where it usually is I guess."

"Thanks."

That was weird. He called out. "Um, Sera, do you want to play in the living room? Where maybe I could watch you?"

"No thanks, I'm fine in here."

"Alright." He mumbled under his breath, returning to his computer. "I guess."

About an hour passed with no word from Sera. He could hear her moving around in the playroom, but he had no idea what she was doing. The phone didn't ring, so he figured that Lyla had either killed Tim or there wasn't any progress on the baby front. He hoped he wasn't going to have to watch Sera all day long.

Not that that was bad, just that he did want to prepare for his interviews. Maybe Billy or Mindy could drive in and get her or something.

"Hey Sera!" he called, setting his computer aside and getting up, going into the other room to check on her. He leaned against the doorway, watching her fiddle with her marker, some plays up on the board. He gaped at them. "Uh…what're you doing?"

"Uncle Coach gave me work to do!"

"And you're doing it?"

"He said he'd know if I didn't," she mumbled, looking up at the board, tapping her marker against her lips. She set it back down in the tray in front of the board, scribbling it down on some construction paper. In glitter pen. "There. I'm done."

"Okay." Landry looked up when he heard the front door open. He frowned a little. "Uh…stay here."

"Oh I know who it is. I called her."

"You called who?"

"Sera!"

Aw, crap, he thought, staring at the doorway as Tyra appeared, setting her bag down, barely noticing him and rushing towards Sera, giving her a tight hug while Sera hopped up and down and cheered that she was there to visit. "I came as soon as you called! Where the hell is your father? How could he just leave you…"

"Um, hello?"

Tyra tossed her hair out of her eyes, staring at him. She crossed her arms over her chest, immediately growing defensive. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I'm babysitting."

"But…" Tyra dropped her gaze to Sera, who was rocking on her heels, looking away. She closed her eyes, sighing in realization. "Seraphina."

"Only Mommy can call me that."

"Well I just did. Did you lie to me?"

Sera screwed up her face, shaking her head. "No…I don't think I did."

"You said that your dad left you and that you wanted me to come over."

Sera walked away from both of them, smiling again over her shoulder. "Daddy did leave me and I did want you to come over."

Damn. Kid should be a lawyer, he thought, shaking his head in disbelief. He crossed his arms over his chest, squaring off against his ex-girlfriend. They'd only broken up a few weeks ago and it still hurt to even be in the same…breathing space as her. Plus, she wasn't looking him in the eye.

Landry swallowed hard. "You can leave. I'm fine with her."

"Why didn't Tim call me?" Tyra demanded, her hip cocked. "I'm his sister-in-law. I have more a right to be here with Sera than you."

"He said he called everyone. I was the only one who answered. Why didn't you answer your phone?"

She scowled. "None of your business Landry."

Yeah, that's what I thought. He shook his head, rolling his eyes. "You can leave."

"I'm not going to leave."

They went toe-to-toe, glaring at each other. Landry glanced out of the corner of his eye at Sera, who was watching them curiously. Never a good thing. He sighed hard. Take the high road. Which he'd done all the hundreds of other times. He lifted his hands up. "Forget it. You want to stay, fine. I'm staying too."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Fine!"

Sera yelled at both of them. "Fine!" She scratched at her head, walking away. "This is going to be great."

Landry blew out a hard breath. Probably not.


	2. Getting Through the Day

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews. Enjoy! (BTW, Coach and Tami do make an appearance in Hawaii ;) ).

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**Chapter Two: Getting Through the Day**

Tyra knew this was not going to be a good day.

This morning she'd woken up to her phone blinking away with at least 20 different messages from Tim saying that what good of a sister-in-law was she if he couldn't just call her and get her to watch his kid, especially when she was in town. She'd been so exhausted the night before that she'd just slept through all the calls. Her flight had been delayed at least twice coming into Midland the day before due to weather from D.C., so that didn't help either.

It was Easter break and she'd been told by most of her employees to just take a damn vacation, especially since…well because of her "breakup" that they whispered to her like it was a dirty word.

People broke up, what was the big deal? People fell in love and they fell out of love.

It was Landry though, she sighed, rubbing at her temple.

After Landry took Sera into the other room, she removed her phone from her purse, sending Tim a text, telling him his daughter was a lovable little sociopath. He sent back a response of "I know." Well that was good; at least he knew…it was the fact that he was doing nothing about that concerned her.

The call from Sera had been…well maybe she thought it was frantic. Now that she went over it again, she realized that Sera was very careful not to say she was alone or that she was hurt or scared or anything. In fact, she may have already said she had a babysitter, but Tyra couldn't remember.

Where was Coach Taylor? Wasn't he supposed to be her nanny?

She loved Sera to death, but when she finished even an hour with her little niece, she was exhausted. How Tim and Lyla did it, she had no idea. The fact that they were bringing a baby into the mix now just made her question that harder.

Sera had changed out of her pajamas into regular clothes, which to her consisted of jeans and a Dillon t-shirt, along with flip flops and a pair of sunglasses pushed up on her head, her dark hair pulled back from her face with the sunglasses. Tyra had to look twice when she walked in a room or else she'd think that a mini-Tim had wandered in.

Hell, she even stood like him, she thought, watching Sera lazily slouch back a bit, studying the pantry contents. "You can't have any cookies, your dad said so to Landry."

"He said that yesterday." Sera removed a brownie that looked like a brick from a package, opening up the cellophane. She bit into it, speaking through crumbs. "This is today."

Kid was going to end up destroying the world or conquering it.

Tyra shook her head, sighing a little and walking over to the kitchen counter. "Honey do you really need me here? I mean, you have Uncle Landry…"

And Aunt Tyra does not want to be around him any longer than necessary.

It was so painfully awkward and to be honest, he had every reason to hate her, which she was sure after the incident of two weeks ago that he hated her more than ever now. He didn't open her email, she was sure of it, otherwise she'd hoped he'd be a bit more…accepting.

The phone beside her hand went off, ringing throughout the house. "I got it!" Landry yelled.

"I got it!" she shouted. She answered it, her voice upbeat. "Riggins Residence!"

"Hello?" Landry answered.

"I said I got it Landry!"

"I told you that I had it!"

On the other end, Tim cleared his throat. "When both of you are done, can I say something?"

"Of course, how are you doing?" Maybe to just annoy Landry a bit, because he was acting so immature right now, she added in a little endearment. "Timmy."

It backfired, because Landry just snorted and Tim blurted out "What the hell?" He laughed. "Even Lyla doesn't call me that!"

"Shut up, I'm just trying to be nice. Asshole."

"And that's more like it."

"When both of you are finished verbally copulating, what's up Tim?"

"What did you just say to me Clarke?"

Tyra rolled her eyes. "He's saying we're flirting in so many words."

"I'm married! My wife is in labor! I'm just calling to say that it's gonna' be awhile, Lyla's barely three centimeters, but her water broke, so they're admitting her. Someone has to get my kid food and make sure she doesn't end up in jail. Landry you don't have to stay if you don't want to, Tyra, can you watch her now?"

"Of course I can watch her."

Landry interrupted. "I'm not leaving."

"Do whatever you guys want, just keep my kid out of it. By the way, she's been eyeing the tree out back; make sure she doesn't climb it. Keep her Epipen with you when you take her anywhere and make sure Simba stays away from all shiny objects, including State rings. I'm not going through that again."

"Okay, great, talk to you later." She hung up before Landry could say anything else from the other room. Tyra glanced up at Sera's odd look. "What?"

Sera smiled a little, whispering. "He still likes you." She wiggled her eyebrows and hopped off the breakfast barstool, whistling a song Tyra couldn't place, but she swore she'd heard before.

What the hell was that?

Landry walked into the kitchen, scowling at her. "You can leave Tyra."

"I told Tim I'm staying. You can leave."

He sighed, whispering after a moment. "We can't do this around Sera."

She leaned against the counter, nodding. That was true. They were quiet for a few minutes more. She tossed her hair over her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I said I was sorry," she whispered.

"You never said you were sorry the first time, I don't know why I believe it now," Landry said, quiet. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, looking over at her. "Five years Tyra. I gave you five years."

She shook her head, her eyes closing. "Landry."

"And before that, I gave you more time as a friend. I gave you so much time…so much of my life has been to you and every single time you just…you just break me off like it's nothing to you."

"It isn't nothing," she snapped, feeling tears prick the corners of her eyes. She swallowed the dry lump in her throat, whispering after a second. "We shouldn't do this here. Look…let's get through the day."

"Fine." Landry turned around, Sera standing in the hall again. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Forever."

"That's impossible."

"Is anything truly impossible?" Sera walked over to the both of them, looking up at her and smiling. "Aunt Tyra."

"Seraphina."

Sera's eyebrows slammed together again. She stomped her foot, obviously frustrated at her real name. "Only Mommy and Uncle Coach can call me that!"

"Fine, Sera?"

"Thank you." Sera folded her hands in front of her, smiling innocently. She cocked her head, one of her dark curls falling in her eyes. One might mistake her for a well-behaved child, Tyra thought. "Can you guys help me with my song?"

"What song is that?" Landry asked.

Sera lifted her fingers to her head, bending backwards a little, extra-dramatic. "My song for the play! The school musical! It's Lion King! I'm going to be Simba."

Landry frowned a little. "Um, isn't that…"

She interrupted, because she remembered a particular moment when Tim told Sera she couldn't dress up like a football player for Halloween because only boys could do that and Sera had taken one look at him and then walked calmly up to him and kicked him in the shins and said that wasn't very feminist. She was sure Sera got a talking to about how you did not physically assault your father, but she also remembered Lyla hiding a small smile while she yelled at Sera that that was wrong.

"Actually I think you'd make a good Simba. Why don't you go set up in the living room and we'll be there in a moment, okay?"

"Okay."

Tyra walked over to Landry, hissing. "We are in a house with a parrot. She has Tim's ability to pick up anything and everything without letting anyone else know that he's picked up on it and then she's got Lyla's claws and teeth. Let's just get through this as best as possible, okay?"

Please, she wanted to beg, hoping that she conveyed that desire enough in her look. This was hard enough as it was…having a kid in the house wasn't going to help matters at all.

Landry gave her a sad look, finally nodding. "Okay. Just today Tyra and that's it. I'm out of here."

"Okay," she breathed. As much as she wanted to talk to him about…everything…she'd probably screwed that up. But…she felt that rise of defense coming back up again. He knew! He knew when they got into this that she…she didn't want what he did in that area.

He paused for a second, taking a step towards the living room, before he turned around, his hands on his hips. He waited a second and then spoke, his voice soft. "It took a long time to get over you the first time Tyra. I don't know if the second one is going to go as easy, so…you have got to cut me loose and be done with it."

And so do you, she wanted to say, but kept her mouth closed. Tyra waited a beat, nodding. She watched him go into the living room, shaking her head and walking over to her phone, checking her messages.

"Aunt Tyra?"

"Yeah?" She turned, startled at how fast Sera had gotten into the Simba costume. There was a wreath that looked like something she'd stolen from Lyla's autumn decorations around her face.

Sera smiled a little, her lips pursing. She shrugged again. "Daddy said Mommy pretended she didn't love him for a long time."

Where was this coming from?

"Ah…yeah. That's…I guess that's right."

"I'm just saying," Sera said, fiddling with the cuffs of her yellow jumpsuit. She reached around for the tail, playing with the tuft of hair that looked like it was part of a mop. She spoke again, her voice long and slow. "I'm just saying cause' I think that Uncle Landry is pretending."

Wow. Tyra wrinkled her brow for a moment, processing that information. She cleared her throat. "Um, Sera, this is…very adult, right now, why don't you…" No, no if she told her to mind her business in so many words, she might hurt her feelings. Then she'd have to deal with the wounded Riggins look, which drove her to drink. She cleared her throat. "Thank you," she chose to say.

Sera turned on her foot, going into the living room and clapping her hands. "I'm ready for my moment!"

Tyra sighed. I'll bet you are.


	3. Just Another Way to Say I Love You

**A/N:** Hope people are still reading this. Enjoy.

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**Chapter Three: Just Another Way to Say I Love You  
**

Damn.

Landry stared as Sera sang her song, dancing around in front of the fireplace, acting the hell out of 'I Just Can't Wait to be a King.' He glanced sideways at Tyra, who was equally shocked. For a little kid, she had a voice!

He looked down at his hands and then back over to Tyra. She wasn't meeting his gaze. Was she seriously over all of this? How could someone be over someone they'd just spent five years with? Of course, one week she'd been all happy and eager to see him after a few weeks at school and then she'd left him on the side of the road a few weeks later.

"I'm done," Sera said, getting up off the floor, her hands on her hips. She reached up a moment later to take off the mane, shaking her hair out, sighing. "How was I?'

"Very, very good."

"Don't blow smoke up my skirt."

Tyra gaped at her for a moment before clearing her throat. "I'm not. You were actually very good."

"I know." Sera took off the jumpsuit, which she'd put on over her clothes. "How about you Uncle Landry?"

"I thought you were very good too."

"The Lion King is my favorite." She pointed at both of them. "I think that you are like Simba and Nala."

Oh I don't think so, he thought, reaching for his computer. "How about you go find something to do Sera?"

"Do you play an instrument Uncle Landry?"

He immediately looked up from the computer. "An instrument?"

"Daddy plays drums."

Tyra snorted, reaching for the mane that Sera had tossed on the ground. "Your dad doesn't play the drums…"

Sera interrupted her. "Yes, he does, we play drums. Uncle Landry, do you play something?"

"I play guitar."

"I have a guitar."

"You do?" He scowled at Tyra's eyeroll. "Problem?"

"No, no problem."

"Good." He stood up and followed Sera into the playroom, taking the toy guitar she handed him. It wasn't a real one, but it would do. He played a couple chords, looking down at her. "How about that?"

Sera quirked her lip in a small smile. "Not bad. He's good Aunt Tyra."

"He isn't bad."

He laughed. "Oh, a compliment!"

Tyra scowled, leaning against the playroom doorway. "Landry, please."

"I'm going to go get something," Sera said, walking out of the playroom, waving her hand and calling over her shoulder. "Carry on."

"I thought we agreed…" Tyra snapped, but he interrupted her.

Maybe they did, but this was harder than he thought it was going to be. He didn't plan on seeing her after this, so it was best to just get it out now while he felt he had the nerve. "You and I were together for five years Tyra. I moved my life to D.C. and when I wanted to get married, you said no and that was it. I'm sick of it. Sick of you using me…"

"Using you?" she whispered, her eyes widening. She laughed. "I didn't use you!"

"Oh you didn't? You didn't use me to help you study for your Master's or to get you contacts in D.C. for your nonprofit? You didn't just keep me waiting all the time while your career took off and I had to give up stuff to fit you?" It was all starting to come out. Maybe this wasn't the right place, but for the last week he'd been stewing in Dillon on it all.

I was an idiot, he thought, shaking his head again. "You know what Tyra? I was an idiot in high school to even think of going out with you. You're always the pretty girl, you're always going to use the geek like me! I gave up so much for you and you just…you just kept using and using and then you just left me on the side of a road! Just dumped me there and when you came back to town, you went right back to a guy who just…who would never ever leave Texas for you. Who would never give up this house or this place or…or even if Lyla didn't come back, he'd never stop thinking of her before you, whether he knew it or not."

He stormed by her, going into the kitchen where Sera was pouring herself a glass of juice. The side door slammed shut and Simba began to whine, scratching at it, obviously trying to get to Tyra.

Sera looked up, an eyebrow arching as she screwed the cap back on her juice container. "Wow. Are you mad at Aunt Tyra?"

Damn. He shook his head, trying to gloss over it. "Grown-up stuff."

"Obviously."

"I'm sorry you had to hear that," Landry apologized to Sera, who was twirling the glass around. He shrugged. "Your Aunt Tyra and I aren't…" He didn't really believe in talking down to kids. Especially this one, she probably knew more than him most of the time anyway. "We aren't living together anymore. Or dating. But you know that already, I bet."

"I did."

"Of course you did."

"Mommy and Daddy fight sometimes," Sera said, sipping her juice. She set it back down, her eyes twinkling. She was up to something, Landry deduced. It just was a matter of what. She shrugged. "Once Mommy made him sleep outside. Daddy was so mad, but it was really funny."

"That sounds like something they'd do."

"Daddy says that when you fight it's just another way to say you love someone." Sera smiled a little, her voice dropping. "And I think…" She clicked her tongue a little, reaching for her drink and taking another sip.

Was she doing this for dramatic effect? Landry frowned, waiting on her next words.

Sera smiled again, looking up through her bangs. "And I think that Aunt Tyra is just fighting because she still loves you."

I cannot believe I am having this conversation with a seven-year old.

He shook his head. "Sorry kiddo. This isn't like your mom and dad."

"Well…I think she still likes you. She talks about you."

That was…news. For someone who told him no, to his proposal. He frowned a little. It wouldn't change things, but…it was curious to him. "Oh?"

Sera nodded, climbing off the stool again, carrying her juice into the living room. "I want to go play outside when I'm done practicing, is that okay?"

"Ah…sure." What did she mean by that? That Tyra talked about him? He was about to go ask Sera what she meant by that when the phone rang again. "Ah…hello?"

"It's Tim. Lyla's gonna' be here forever. How's it going there? Oh, forgot to say, keep Sera away from the upstairs guest room, she's been locking us in there."

"What?"

"TIM!"

"Gotta' go, tell Sera I'll be back tonight." Tim hung up before Landry could say anything else, not even a 'good luck.'

Sera growled from the doorway. "That my Dad? Is my brother here?"

"You don't want a brother?" he asked.

"No. Brothers are gross. Uncle Billy is Daddy's brother and they fight all the time."

Landry smiled a little, walking over to ruffle Sera's hair. "Thought you said that fighting is just a way to say you love someone?"

"They fight-fight, like they push each other and stuff and Daddy says that's not nice and I can't do it to people and Uncle Coach says the same thing, but I don't get it because Daddy and Uncle Billy do it all the time and they call each other names too. Then they hug and it's weird." Sera coughed a few times, her voice a little wheezy. "Uncle Coach says I can't hit people who are mean to me, I need to use my words or call him."

"No, you can't and that's a good thing to call Uncle Coach. Do you want to go outside?"

"Breathy thing before I go outside."

Oh, the inhaler. He got it from the cabinet and passed it to her, where she took a couple hits, making a face and passing it back. She coughed a few more times, going outside.

He followed her, waiting on the porch. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tyra watching him from the porch swing. "I'm sorry I yelled," he said, looking her way.

Tyra nodded, her arms crossed. "I deserve it."

"No, you don't deserve me…yelling."

She got up from the swing, joining him at the steps. Her brow wrinkled, her face sad. "I didn't…I do love you Landry."

I don't want to hear it, he thought, stepping off the porch, where Sera was eyeing a tree. "Your dad says you can't climb that," he stated.

Sera looked up at it, shaking her head. "I don't care. I'm going to sing some more. Listen and see if I'm good, tryouts are tomorrow."

"Alright." He turned away from her, going back up to the porch, waiting a beat and lifting his head to Tyra, who was still watching him, her brow wrinkled, something obviously troubling her. "What?"

Tyra shook her head, whispering. "I didn't want to get married Landry. You knew that. Don't put this on me and just me."

"We were together five years. People get married," he said, not liking her excuses. It was to keep her options open. He shook his head again, his arms crossed over his chest, defensive. "You broke my heart too many times Tyra. I deserve someone who actually wants me."

"You do," she whispered. She wiped at her eyes, her voice thick. "I am really sorry, I…I can't explain how sorry I am. For all…" she trailed off, looking over his shoulder. "Oh my God."

"What?" Landry glanced over his shoulder, seeing Sera scaling the tree like a damn monkey. "Oh man! Sera!" He took off to the tree, Tyra right behind him, both of them skidding to stops, peering up. "Get down from there!"

"Nope!"

"Sera!" Tyra yelled, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Come on down from there, this isn't safe!" She mumbled her breath. "Your mom and dad are going to kill me."

"Before me? Probably not."

"Shut up," she snapped, reaching for a branch, her foot slipping into a knothole on the truck. She breathed deeply a few times, launching herself up and onto one of the higher branches, slinging her leg over. "Okay."

"Tyra, get down from there!"

"No! You can't tell me what to do anymore Landry."

He shook his head, yelling up at her. "I never told you what to do, ever!"

"Just shut up, I'm handling this."

At the top of the tree, Sera smiled a little, calling down to Tyra. "Help Aunt Tyra! I'm getting scared! There's bugs!"

"I'm coming honey!"

Landry shook his head, his hands on his hips. One of them was going to break their damn necks. Simba grumbled from beside him. He glanced down, nodding. "I know."


	4. The Tree Talk

**Chapter Four: The Tree Talk**

Climbing trees was never her forte, having grown up in West Texas prairie, but she wasn't a complete novice. It took a few minutes, but she managed to get to the middle part of the tree where Sera was.

Tyra slid onto the branch beside Sera, both of them holding another above their heads to stay steady. She peered down, swallowing hard. This was actually very high above the ground. Not that she was scared, it was just…very high.

Topic at hand, she thought, tossing her hair from her eyes. "Okay Sera, I'm here, let's…let's think about getting down now."

"Hmm…." Sera whined, peering down. A flicker of panic crossed her face. She gulped a little. "I…I think I'll stay here."

Damn. Tyra tucked her hair behind her ear, taking a few more deep breaths. As the adult, she had to be the calm one here. Alright. Focus Collette, she told herself, looking down at Landry, who was watching them with a frown, obviously concerned.

Probably only for Sera, she thought, closing her eyes briefly. He probably wouldn't mind if she broke her neck. "Okay Sera, why are you up here? Is it because of the baby?"

"The baby?" Sera questioned, frowning a little. She shook her head. "What baby?"

Did this kid seriously forget? Tyra lifted an eyebrow. "Your baby brother?"

"Oh, that baby. No, not really."

"Not really?"

Sera swung her legs back and forth, looking away. "I like it up here. You can see far."

"Yes, you can, but you can do that from the ground too, so let's go down."

"How come you and Landry aren't together no more?"

The question was so innocent that…she really wanted to answer. Sera looked so small, sitting on the branch. Despite being seven, she was always small. Tyra thought that was funny, but then she remembered Tim when he was a kid, he was always scrawny for his age until suddenly he turned 13 and it was like damn, one day he was this skinny thing and then all of a sudden he was Big Tim Riggins who could put anyone through a wall with one flick of his finger.

Even if Sera stayed small, Tyra figured she'd make up for it in personality. Kid had that in spades. It was very Tim, but there were times when it was very Lyla and then…well Tyra really wondered if they had their child switched at the hospital or something.

Tyra sighed, shaking her head. "Well…" She pursed her lips, running the answer through her head a few times before she was satisfied that Sera might be able to understand it. Even then she wasn't sure, but if she didn't answer, this kid would find a way to weasel it out of her. "Sometimes two people love each other, but…they want different things."

Sera blinked. "Why?"

"Well…I…I want to work on my career. Landry wanted to get married. We want different things." This was getting too damn serious, she had to put an end to it.

The little girl's eyes narrowed again. She lifted an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Well…because…we just do."

"Hmm," Sera mulled. She shook her head. "I don't think that's a good answer."

Of course you don't, your mom and dad wanted the same things, it just took them a few years to get there.

Plus you are _SEVEN YEARS OLD_.

Had it seriously come to this? Getting advice from a kid?

Tyra pushed her fingers through her hair, leaning back over the branch they were using to brace themselves in the tree. She shook it out over her shoulders, sighing. "Well kid, it's an adult thing. You're never going to think it's a good answer."

"Uncle Landry really does like you," Sera said. She smiled a little, giggling. "He loooooves you."

Tyra laughed. "Yes, I know. I love him too, but…it's a grown-up thing Sera."

"It's a stupid grown-up thing."

"Well no one said that we aren't stupid."

Sera cocked her head, her eyebrow lifting once more. "You know," she drawled, glancing away. "Daddy told me that once upon a time ago Mommy and him almost didn't have me. What's that mean?"

"Yeah, well…it means…" She bit her bottom lip, unsure how to explain it. To a child. Unbelievable. "Well…"

Because Daddy and I were together, she thought, blowing out a hard breath, looking down at the base of the tree. A very long time ago she was sitting near this tree, with Tim, looking out at nothing and talking about a future. Insane.

Ah, she knew how to answer this, she thought, deciding to chance the subject a bit. She smiled, poking Sera's ribs. "You know how your mommy and daddy knew each other when they were little?"

"Yeah."

"Well, your mommy left Dillon after high school and a few years later, she came back to town to visit before she went to doctor school and she and your dad made a promise, they promised that when she was done with school, they would meet at the big yellow and blue Texas sign right outside of town and they were both there at the same time, they'd get married. And you know what happened after that?"

Sera whispered, her eyes wide. For a little kid who pretended to be so serious all the time, she did seem to be enamored by the idea of love. "What?"

Tyra grinned. How this kid didn't know the story was beyond her, but even she thought it was a good one. Sera should know. "Your daddy got a flat tire and he ran all the way from one side of Dillon to the sign, just as your mom was getting ready to leave. They barely made it but they did. Then they had you and now you're going to get a brother. Isn't that neat?"

"I guess."

"It's very romantic."

Sera rolled her eyes. "Romance is overrated."

Amen to that sister, she thought, shrugging a little. Although it probably wouldn't be good to say that to a young kid, who still believed in fairytales. "It's not that bad," she lied.

"Are you a hopeless romantic?"

Aunt Tyra isn't much of anything, she thought, shrugging a little. "I think that it's nice. Your mom and dad had a very romantic story, all the way from the beginning."

"And Uncle Landry?"

This kid did not give up. Tyra blew out a hard breath, whispering. "Our story was…it wasn't romance, but…it was very nice, he…" She sighed, her eyes closing. Maybe it was romantic. Depended on your version of it.

But it was weird…where would she be if it weren't for Landry? If he didn't come into her life the way he did the end of sophomore year, when she wanted to get her life together...maybe she'd have done it on her own. A part of her was confident she'd have done it on her own, she'd have had Mrs. Taylor and Julie...but...without any of them...

Without any of them, would she still have gotten out? Had the courage to keep going, even when it looked like she couldn't get through?

Maybe she would have stayed in Dillon. She could very well have ended up with Tim again. Only he'd never have been with Lyla, probably, if she'd stayed with him in school, so he'd be just…miserable too. Probably they'd be cheating on each other. She'd hate her life, because she was just like her sister and her mother…she'd be resenting everyone again, still full of that hate and anger. Hell maybe she'd be working at the Landing Strip, because she wouldn't even have good enough grades for Dillon Tech.

Or maybe she'd have left them all, gone somewhere else, but with no college education, she'd be waiting tables the rest of her life, only in another city. It would have been a sucky life if she hadn't gotten her you-know-what together.

But it was no good to think of what ifs, because she did have Landry, she did push through, she did get out of Dillon, and despite that brief period where she considered returning for Tim, which she really didn't have to think much of, because she got an internship in Washington, D.C. for the Senate in her senior year and now she was running her own non-profit in D.C., helping young girls just like her…with Landry helping too, after that…

She sighed again. That one night, at Matt and Julie's vow renewal, a little over five years ago…brought them back together. She glanced back at Sera, who was studying her curiously. "Uncle Landry helped me very much," she whispered. She tweaked Sera's nose. "And I will always love and thank him for it."

But I treated him like crap, she thought, pushing it out of her mind, looking down at Landry, who was talking to Simba. "Hey!" she called, pointing over at the large trampoline. "Bring that over just in case."

"Just in case what?" Sera asked.

"Nothing."

"You think we're going to fall and break our necks like Uncle Jason. He has a broken neck."

"I do not think that." Yes, I do, very much so.

Sera pursed her lips, looking out at the house and beyond. "Aunt Tyra, what's it like to be in love?"

"Ah…" Where the hell is your mother for this conversation? To be honest, why are you even asking? Tyra narrowed her eyes. Sera had a dreamy look she only ever got when she was singing. "Are you in love?"

"Yes."

Well that was quick.

"Really? With who?" she teased, poking at her ribs a little. "Tell me! I won't tell anyone, I promise."

Sera rolled her eyes. "It's stupid."

"No it's not."

The little girl's eyes sparked for a minute before she leaned in, whispering. "I'm in love with…"

Oh God, Tyra had a sudden flash of who it might be. She covered her face. "Honey, I'm going to interrupt you for a second, you can't be in love with Coach Taylor, he's married, he's way too old for you…"

"Ew! No! I don't love Coach Taylor!" Sera made a gagging face, before descending into giggles.

No? Really? Tyra blinked. "Who?"

Sera's cheeks flushed pink. "Luke," she whispered.

Luke? Who was…oh! Tyra smiled, long and slow. "Luke Cafferty?"

"Uh-uh. We coach together."

"I see." She leaned on the branch. "Luke's married."

"I know."

Okay, well so long as you do. Tyra smiled again. To be so young, she thought, shaking her head. When things like being in love with people like your coach or your teacher or something were just these innocent little things. Then you grew up and you figured that whatever it was, it was just you…being naïve and innocent and not realizing there was something else out there.

"Well," she answered. "Luke is married, he's also much older, but…"

"Oh I know, I just like to look."

Oh…okay, Tyra thought, eyes widening a little. "So long as you know."

"I love him, but I know I can't have him."

"Yes, well..." What was she supposed to say to that? Thankfully, Sera had an answer.

"This has been fun Aunt Tyra." Sera tapped her on the nose and surprised her, sliding off the branch onto another, shimmying down the trunk. "See you at the bottom!"

To her shock, Sera, the little daredevil, swung and dropped her away along the tree, slipping down to the trampoline and bouncing a few times before flipping off, laughing, even with Landry chiding her for not giving him a heart attack again.

Tyra shook her head. "Little con," she muttered, making her way down the tree, albeit less gracefully than the seven-year old. She dropped to the trampoline, rolling off and onto the grass. "Ow!"

"Here." Landry offered his hand, helping her up, smiling a little. "Graceful."

"You probably couldn't get down that tree gracefully either," she laughed, dusting grass and dirt off of her designer jeans. She shoved her hands into her back pockets, smiling at him. Leave it to Sera. Now for some reason she was thinking of their high school days together, when she hadn't in some time.

She pursed her lips a little, whispering after a moment. "I'm really, really sorry," she breathed. She swallowed a little, looking down at her feet and then back up. There had been numerous apologies over the years, but…not an official one. "For…for how I dumped you the first time. The second time…never called you…I'm sorry."

"Uncle Landry! Your phone is ringing!"

Landry glanced at the door. "I have interviews," he said, taking a step towards the house. He stopped in his tracks, looking over his shoulder. He hesitated and then shrugged again. "Thank you for…apologizing."

It might be too little too late, she thought, watching him take the phone from Sera, who was bouncing around again, talking about her Lion King audition.

Sera ran back out onto the porch, grabbing her hands. "Come on Aunt Tyra, you have to listen to me sing! I'm going to do Scar now!"

"Oh, okay, well I can't wait."

"Let's go upstairs."

"Let's stay right here."

Sera seemed a little frustrated at that, but glanced Landry's way, before nodding, exasperated. "Fine." She turned the music on and began to turn around, singing, pouncing around the living room, and using Simba as one of her hyenas she was singing to.

Tyra clapped her hands when it was over, looking up at Landry. They did need to talk some more. Maybe after they were done with Sera. She was about to suggest that they go back to her old house to talk, when her cell phone buzzed. She lifted it up. "Hey Tim."

"Daddy I'm singing!" Sera belted out.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Lyla's five centimeters. This is taking forever. I'm going to go in after the kid in a few minutes."

She chuckled. "Babies have their own schedule Tim. Do you need us to bring you anything?"

"I've got all I need, just checking on Sera. Make sure she doesn't get up to that guest bedroom, I really do have to fix the doorknob."

"What guest room?"

"Nevermind, probably doesn't matter. Give her a kiss and hug for me. By the way, how's it going with Landry there?"

"Tim! Get your ass back in here!"

Tim didn't wait for her to say that it was beyond awkward and strange, just said he'd see her whenever and disconnected, leaving Tyra to stare at her phone. She shook her head, smiling a little. "Your baby brother is almost here!" she lied to Sera.

Sera just rolled her eyes. "Joy."

Tyra frowned, glancing sideways at Landry, who was also frowning. Good, it wasn't just her. She cleared her throat. "You want something to eat for lunch Sera?"

"Nope. I'm going to keep singing."

"Alright."


	5. Time-Out

_**A/N:**_ Hopefully people are still reading this, as there hasn't been much feedback; it is my first truly "Landry x Tyra" story so hopefully I'm doing them justice, I'm just kind of wandering with the two of them. Sera does something in this chapter that many will probably think is completely ridiculous, but it's actually something that happened to friends of mine, with their kid, so you know, oh well if it seems ridiculous. Enjoy!

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**Chapter Five: Time-Out**

The soundtrack of _The Lion King_ would be forever ingrained in his mind after today.

Landry rubbed at his temple, staring at the laptop on his knees, trying to get some work done in preparation for the interview in Houston. The firm had just called to set it up and reconfirm a few things. They made it sound like the job was his if he pulled it off.

He lifted his eyes from the screen to Tyra, who was in the playroom with Sera, listening to her sing, smiling and applauding after each song. For someone who was so good with children, she sure didn't want any, he thought with a scowl.

He set the laptop aside, going into the playroom, gesturing towards the living room. "If you want to get some work done, I'll take over," he said.

Tyra nodded, smiling a little. "Thanks," she whispered, pushing to her feet and going into the kitchen, calling out to Sera that she was going to get her lunch ready.

Landry sat at the playtable, folding his hands together. "You done practicing yet?"

Sera shook her head, draping her red feather boa around her face so it looked like a mane. "Nope. I want this part."

"I think you're going to get it."

"Mommy says don't get my hopes up."

"She'd be right."

Sera lowered the boa. "Do you have kids?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

"Do you want kids?"

"Maybe one day, yeah."

Sera leaned on the table, pursing her lips and waiting a beat. "With Aunt Tyra?"

This kid was too smart for her own good. "I hoped so, but…we're not together anymore." He pointed to the board. "You finish your homework for Coach Taylor?"

"He'll live if I don't do it, so do you still love Aunt Tyra?"

He sighed, looking at Tyra puttering around the kitchen. Yes. Of course he did, he had since he was in junior high school. In spite of everything, no matter how crappy she treated him or how much he tried to stay away from her… He looked down at Sera, who was staring at him with wide eyes. "Yes," he answered.

This was going to come back and bite him in the ass, he was sure of it.

Sera leaned forward, wiggling her finger towards her, beckoning him. He leaned in, curious as to what she was going to say. "Wake up!" she exclaimed, grabbing his shoulders and shaking dramatically. "So does she!"

"Whoa!"

She made a face at him. "Come on! Tell her you love her! She loves you too! You both are being idiots." Sera rolled her eyes, hopping off the chair she was standing on, reaching for her boa again, sweeping it over her shoulder and getting a pair of sunglasses, putting them over her eyes, looking over at him. "I swear I have to do everything around here!"

Landry had to tell Tim to stop talking. Just stop talking around Sera. All she ever did was remember it and she remembered when to _USE_ certain phrases, which was what absolutely killed him.

He rubbed at his shoulder, scowling. "Ow," he grumbled, getting up and going into the kitchen, leaning against the counter, watching Tyra. He frowned a little. "Um, so…did you talk to Sera about us in that tree?"

Tyra stopped cutting up vegetables, lifting her eyes. "No," she blurted.

Liar, he thought.

She pulled her hair back from her face, returning to cutting vegetables. "Sera! Come get your lunch." She looked up after a moment. "What?"

He smiled a little. "Nothing."

"Okay." Tyra handed Sera her plate of vegetables and some gluten-free things he didn't recognize. "Do you want some almond butter on your crackers?"

"No, can't have almonds anymore," Sera said through a mouthful of carrots. "Lergic."

"To almonds?"

"All nuts now." She rolled her eyes, waving a carrot stick at him. "Uncle Landry come sit with me."

"I should probably get back to my interview stuff."

Tyra looked up again. "You're going to…to move back?"

Well I have to, he thought, shrugging. "Yeah. Nothing for me in D.C."

She glanced down quickly. "I thought…nevermind."

"Thought what, Tyra?"

Their eyes met once more. She swallowed hard, wiping her hands on a rag. "Forget it," she whispered. She shrugged again. "It's…you're really moving?"

"Well I have to, right? You said no."

She frowned, blinking a few times, whispering. "I…Landry…" She closed her eyes, leaning hard on the counter. Her voice was barely loud enough for him to hear, most likely because Sera was watching with rapt attention. "Landry I didn't say no to you, I said no to…nevermind. You're not listening to me."

What the hell was she talking about?"

Sera bit loudly into a carrot, crunching hard on it. She was thinking of something, he could see it. Landry sat at the table beside her, tapping his fingers lightly. Simba grumbled again from beneath the table. "So," he said, talking over the sound of Sera's loud eating. "What's your brother's name going to be Sera, you know?"

"I don't care."

"That's not nice."

She shrugged. "They didn't like my name. Daddy put me in time out when I said it."

Oh, so Tim and Lyla did at least try to discipline her, good to know.

"So what did you want to name him?" he asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Dumb Baby."

Tyra quirked her lip up. "That's not a very nice name."

"I think they said his name is TJ."

"Tim Junior?" he laughed.

Sera made another face. "Taylor Jason."

"Aw," Tyra sighed, smiling wide. "That's a great name." She fiddled with one of her carrot sticks. "So are you excited?"

Sera rolled her eyes, sipping her milk. "Not really." She hopped out of her chair, looking at them again, rather shrewd. "I'm going upstairs."

"Okay, wash your hands please," Tyra called out. Sera's footsteps echoed down the hall and up the stairs, disappearing a moment later. She folded her hands on the table. "We're alone, finally."

"Tyra."

"Landry."

They spoke at the same time, Tyra smiling a little. She shrugged. "You still…I know you don't have me, you still love me."

"And you still love me."

She scowled. "Excuse me?"

"Well you do, right?"

"I…yes, but…" She frowned harder. "I didn't say yes because…because it wasn't you, Landry. It was the idea of marriage. You just…I was scared, okay?"

"Scared? Of me?" He laughed again, getting out of the chair, turning in circles a few times before looking over at her, his arms falling to his sides. "You said you're sorry Tyra, but I can only keep forgiving you so much. Please tell me you didn't just stay with me after the wedding because you felt sorry or something!"

"I didn't! Landry that was five years ago! I said no I won't marry you because I told you, I'm scared of it, I don't want to get married!"

"That's a stupid answer! You need to tell me why!"

"Landry! It's complicated!"

Everything was complicated, he thought, his hands on his hips. He closed his eyes, shaking his head. Yes, she was scared. Scared of what? He never got a decent answer. It was just one thing on a list of many that he was tired of dealing with.

Tyra cleared her throat, her arms crossing again. "I told you I'm sorry," she whispered. "For all that I have done, but I cannot keep apologizing if you're not going to accept it. Because if you don't trust me or believe me, then we don't even need to discuss why I said no."

Maybe that was true.

Landry glanced up again, about to say so, when they lifted their heads to the ceiling, hearing a loud bang. "Sera!" he yelled.

No response.

"Oh God," Tyra muttered, grabbing the epipen from the counter, just in case, running ahead of him up the stairs. "Sera!"

"Sera!"

They skidded to a stop in front of one of the bedrooms. Tyra went inside, kneeling at a knocked over chair. "Huh."

He went in after her. "Is she in here?"

"No…Sera!" Tyra yelled, jumping up from the ground.

Landry turned his head, just in time to see Sera disappear from behind the door, slamming the door closed. He heard a click and then a loud giggling. "Aha!" she yelled from the other side of the door.

He grabbed the doorknob, shaking it. It wouldn't budge. "Sera! Open this door!"

"Never!"

He turned, eyes wide, staring at Tyra's gaping look. "Um…I think we're stuck."

"Sera open this door!" Tyra yelled, banging on it, reaching to tug on the doorknob again. It didn't move. She rattled it some more. "This isn't funny Sera! This is not something to play with, you need to open the door!"

"You're in timeout!"

"What?" he yelled. "Let us out!"

"Not until you guys say you're sorry and make up!"

"Sera!"

He leaned back, waiting a second before going to the bed and hopping on the edge of it, folding his hands between his knees. "Well."

"Well what?" Tyra demanded, throwing her shoulder against the door. She winced, reaching to rub at it. "Damn kid."

"I heard that!"

Landry looked up, his eyes twinkling a little. Nice job kid, he thought, shaking his head and falling backwards onto the bed. "Worst thing in your life could be to be stuck with me and now you have it. I just find it funny."

"Landry, that's not it at all."

"Then what's the issue?"

"The issue is there is a seven-year old out there and we cannot get out of this room unless we jump two stories!" She went to the window, as though seriously considering it. Tyra turned, slumping down to the floor, her eyes closing. "Do you have your cell phone?"

"No. Guess you don't either."

"Great."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before he lifted his head. "I don't want to do this any more than you."

Tyra turned her head a little, glancing down at her hands. She folded them in her lap, whispering. "Guess we have to do what the little matchmaker says."

"Guess so…unless we just say we're sorry and made up."

"That could work."

They both went to the door and he knocked lightly. "Hey Sera? We made up, we're really sorry."

There was a moment of silence until he heard a laugh. "Do you think me for a fool? Make up for real! I'll know!"

Tyra shook her head, mumbling. "Tim does not know what he is going to have on his hands when she hits adolescence."

"He'll deserve it."

Guess they had to talk for real, Landry thought, sighing. He shrugged, walking back to the bed and falling backwards again. "Guess we have to talk."

"Guess so."

Where to begin?


	6. Hawaiian Interlude

**A/N:** Since there haven't been many reviews on this, I'm not sure how many people are still interested, so I think I'm going to just post the rest (there are four more chapters) all in one go tomorrow. I really hope it's been enjoyable to those who have been reading.

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**Chapter Six: Hawaiian Interlude**

"I feel like a lobster."

"Oh hush," Tami said, not moving from her reclined position on their private little piece of beach. The bungalow was insanely expensive, but as an anniversary present from his now apparently well-to-do daughter and son-in-law, he couldn't complain.

Much.

Eric shifted in his seat, looking out at the water. How could it be so blue? He reached over, tapping her arm. "Hey? Want to go skinnydipping?"

"Eric!" Tami laughed, although she didn't say no outright. She giggled a little, pushing her sunglasses up on her head. "That would not be appropriate for people of our age."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Hmm…let me think about it."

"While you think on that, I'm going to just…" He moved over from his chaise, sliding into hers, laughing and leaning over to kiss her as she tried weakly to push him off, laughing. "Just take up some space here."

She returned the kiss, her arms going around his neck, smiling. "Want to take this inside?"

"Definitely." He was about to climb off the chaise to pick her up when a phone went off somewhere. He whipped his head to her, scowling. "Why is the phone ringing?"

"Because someone is calling."

"Don't answer it! Who is it?" He'd tell them not to call anymore, not when he was on an anniversary trip to Hawaii.

Tami rummaged in her bag, reaching for the cell phone, wincing a little. "It's the Riggins home number. I should take this."

"No, do not answer that. Several things were wrong with that statement, put it back in the bag."

"Honey, Lyla's nine months pregnant! It might be the baby!"

"Then they'd call from the hospital." He did not want to get roped into whatever insanity Tim Riggins or a member of his family had gotten involved with now. He heard more from them than he did his own children. Well, not really, he made Gracie call him every couple of days to make sure she was still alive out there in Los Angeles.

Tami lifted the phone to hear ear. "Hello?" She frowned, her voice instantly changing to concern. "Sera, sweetheart? Are you okay? Are your mommy and daddy okay?"

He glanced down at her, hands on his hips. Sera? He offered his hand. "Gimme the phone."

"Sweetie, Uncle Coach wants to talk to you, is that…okay, you wanted to talk to him in the first place, alright, here you go." Tami frowned, handing him the phone. "It's Sera. She sounds okay, make sure she's not standing over their bodies or something."

Having just found them or holding the knife, he thought, lifting the phone to his ear and walking off their private patio onto the sand, heading towards the surf. "Sera? What's going on kiddo?"

"Uncle Coach I think I did something bad."

Uh oh. Sera never admitted defeat or guilt. Even if she was wrong, despite what he was trying to teach her about that value, she refused to admit it. He closed his eyes. Maybe he did need to fly back and help her move a body. "What did you do? Where are your mom and dad?"

"Um, the hospital, Mommy's having the baby. The dumb baby."

Okay, so it wasn't that bad, because she was giving commentary. Eric frowned a little, opening his eyes and staring out at the ocean. "Sera, focus, why did you call me?"

"I locked Uncle Landry and Aunt Tyra in a room."

Come again? He blinked. "Huh?"

"I locked Uncle Landry and Aunt Tyra in a room. They were fighting."

"So you locked them….Sera unlock that door, that is not funny."

"They were fighting! They're being stupid," she growled.

"So what if they are Sera? It's none of your business, it's an adult thing." He didn't even know what to make of this situation. He rubbed at his temple. "Go open the door."

"But they're fighting. You said that we have to talk when we fight. They need to talk."

Did he ever say that? Probably. Especially if it was this kid. He lifted his face to the sun. "Sera, this isn't like that, this is adult stuff. Not because Luke took your whistle away when you kept blowing it every time he tried to talk or because Grandpa Buddy kept calling you "Ser-Bear" and you told him to quit and he wouldn't."

"I hate when he calls me that," she growled.

"That is not the point of this conversation. Now, you need to open the door, do you understand?"

"Uncle Coach!" she whined.

"My violin isn't working today Sera."

She grumbled, moving around a bit. "Fine. I'll unlock the door."

"You're not lying to me, are you?"

Sera paused. "No."

"I'll know if you do."

"I did my homework Uncle Coach."

"Good. I want those plays memorized by the time I get back."

"Will you bring me a present?"

"I might. If you unlock the door," he said, waiting for her to rummage around. He heard her rattling with something and then heard her soft 'uh oh.' His eyes closed tight. "You can't open the door."

"No…."

Great. He sighed again. "I'm going to call your Dad. Maybe he can get home fast enough to unscrew the doorknob."

"Okay. I'm going to practice my singing, do you want to hear?"

"Not right now. Surprise me when I get back."

"Will do Uncle Coach."

He said his goodbyes, shaking his head and chuckling, turning around and walking back into the bungalow, where Tami was rubbing more suntan lotion into her arms. He shook his head. This was unfair. He shouldn't have to deal with this stuff now.

I'm too good of a person for my own good sometimes, he thought; listening to the phone ring, ready to just give up until Tim answered. In the background he heard Lyla yelling about how she was never going to let him near her again once she was done with this kid.

"So how's it going?" he drawled.

"Coach? Aren't you in Hawaii?"

"Yes, but your daughter called me."

"What did she do now?"

He sighed. "Well, Landry and Tyra are fine, they're locked in a room because Sera wanted them to talk and make up. She doesn't like that they're fighting."

Tim cursed under his breath. "I knew that wasn't a good idea with both of them. Okay. Thanks Coach. I'll get Buddy to go over there, he's bothering me being here."

"How's Lyla doing?"

"Seven centimeters. This is the slowest kid. It's been about eight hours."

"You'll survive. Julie's twins were over two days. You were spoiled with Sera, she was there within 45 minutes of getting to the hospital."

"Yeah and in NICU for about a month and a half. They think this one's going to be about ten pounds."

Hmm. "Good linebacker size," he muttered, already thinking 16 years in the future, another Riggins on the team. If he was still alive and Sera hadn't killed him by then. He blew out a hard breath. "Alright, send Lyla our love. Hope your daughter doesn't burn down the house now that she has no adult supervision."

"She only set the one fire the one time and it was kind of my fault."

Eric paused. He did not know about that. "Excuse me?"

"Nevermind," Tim muttered, saying goodbye and then hanging up.

The things I do, Eric thought, disconnecting and tossing the phone aside, rubbing at his forehead. "Oh honey, you're fine," Tami drawled, coming up behind him, her arms around his shoulders, kissing his cheek. "You love them."

"I wish I wasn't as involved as I tend to get."

"How's Lyla?"

"Seems like it's going to be awhile."

"Women have been giving birth for thousands of years. Babies have been taking their sweet time for thousands of years too, she'll be fine. What's Sera doing?"

"She's taking over the house, locked Landry and Tyra in a room to make them get along."

Tami smiled a little, her chin resting on his shoulder. "You know," she mumbled, rolling her eyes up towards his. "Often times adults need to approach things the way young children do, because the simplistic nature of dealing with conflict is actually better for them to process. This might not be a bad thing."

"It's Sera Riggins. She's got Lyla's weird perfection until she snaps thing and Tim's ability to pretend like he doesn't care when he's really bothered by it," Eric sighed. It was a deadly combination most of the time with Sera. He looked down at the phone, mumbling. "I hope she's okay."

Tami kissed him lightly. "They'll all be fine, we don't need to be there all the time."

He nodded, agreeing with that. They were supposed to be adults after all. He frowned for a second, turning his head slightly. "Are you wearing a bathing suit or any clothing at all for that matter, Tami Taylor?"

"Turn around and find out."


	7. Lock-Up

**A/N:** Don't have time to post the rest yet, but tonight there should be another chapter. Enjoy and thank you to those who have reviewed.

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Lock-Up**

Two hours.

That's how long they'd been in this room.

Two freaking hours.

Or at least, it certainly felt like it. Tyra had neither phone nor watch and the clock radio on the nightstand was blinking midnight, obviously not set from the last time the power went out or from when it was unplugged.

She'd taken to counting the flowers on the wallpaper. Lyla clearly decorated this room. Right now she was at 1,244 tiny rosebuds and she'd barely gotten past three walls.

Their hostage taker had shoved two granola bars beneath the crack in the door, as well as said she had attempted to get them out, but the door was stuck, so they were waiting on reinforcements.

This child needs some serious discipline, she thought, biting into her granola bar. Tim had to stop spoiling her and Lyla had to stop being the disciplinarian, because it clearly wasn't working. They needed to switch it up.

"What are you doing?" she asked, one of the few words she'd said to Landry in the period of time they'd been locked in the damn room. He was rummaging through the closet. It was full of crap. Maybe Tim and Lyla were hoarders.

That would be kind of fun, she thought, taking another bite of the granola bar. She was killing for something to drink.

Landry emerged from the closet. "Looking for anything we can use to open that door."

He'd tried, to no avail, at unscrewing the doorknob, but it was an old fashioned doorknob and the screws were pretty much welded in. There was nothing he'd found that could catch it enough to turn.

"Give up, there's nothing in there but crap."

"Huh." Landry rocked back on his heels, holding a box. He opened it up, whooping. "I found the jackpot."

"What?"

He set the box on the bed, tossing her a bottle of water. Thank God, she thought, unscrewing the cap and taking a long swig. Until…damnit, what if she had to pee? Better stop.

"Is there a screwdriver in there?"

"No, but there are more granola bars, water, and…" Landry removed a strip of condoms. He chuckled. "Tim doesn't strike me as someone who prepares like this."

"Lyla put this box in here, Tim can't think this far ahead."

"He did seem to indicate in one phone call to keep her from this room, apparently she's locked them in here."

"So Lyla thought to put condoms in the box, but not a damn screwdriver?" Tyra sighed. Way to go Garrity. Geez. Fix your priorities. She rummaged through, finding nothing of help in the box, which also had a battery operated clock and yes, she'd found that they had been in here two hours, a couple of magazines, and a first-aid kit.

She looked at the sheets, tugging them out. "We could start to bind these together like prisoners," she mused. "And lower it out the window."

"I think that's a bit drastic."

"What do you suggest we do? Sit here another two hours? I'm going to have to pee at some point. So do you."

He flopped back on the bed, closing his eyes. "We sit and we wait for someone to come get us. Lyla can't stay in labor forever, Tim will show up eventually. Sera will get bored and she'll find a way to get us out, it'll be fine."

And by that time we could have killed each other. She paced a few times, listening to Sera belting out her songs from the first floor. At least she wasn't setting fires again.

Although that was only one time and it was kind of Tim's fault. He never should have given her that sparkler on the Fourth of July.

She let out a frustrated cry. "We have been in here for two hours!"

"Thanks for the notification, I didn't know."

She glanced back at Landry, who was now throwing a tennis ball in the air and catching it before throwing again. "Where did you get that?"

"It was on the floor, I think it's the dog's."

"Oh." She hit her head back against the wall, glancing at the door. "Sera!" she called out. She hit her head again, eyes closing tight, bellowing. "SERA!"

A moment later, a rather perturbed voice called out from behind the door. "You yelled Aunt Tyra?"

"Did you call anyone else to unlock the door? How about Daddy?"

"Nope. You guys have to talk. The door will open when you're done talking. I'm going to go back to practicing."

There were footsteps on the stairs, echoing away from the door. Damn. Tyra closed her eyes. It seemed they had no choice. Maybe the door would magically open once they talked. "Guess we should talk."

Landry sat up, draping his arms over his knees, watching her. "You said you were sorry Tyra. I think we're done after that, right?"

"You're not getting it, this isn't just me."

"How is it not just you? You said no, I won't marry you Landry. Not after five years, after you took me back when you really had no business taking me back, after you moved your whole life to D.C. and gave up so much for my career." Landry shook his head, rolling his eyes. "That why you and Tim didn't work out that second time? Because he wouldn't give up this house for you?"

It wasn't that, but close enough, she thought, lifting her eyes to him. "That was years and years ago and it's a moot point, because Tim is with his wife who is giving birth! His psychopath daughter has locked us in this room and won't let us out!"

"That's not the point, Tyra. The point is, would you have stayed with him if he did what you wanted and just what you wanted?" Landry lifted his eyebrows. "Because when I did that, things were fine. When I did something you didn't want or like, that's when it was a problem."

"And you could have gone ahead and done some of those things, I wasn't going to bite you or eat you or kill you or something if you didn't."

"Yeah, I did go ahead and do those things. I proposed to you," Landry said, smiling a little. He shrugged. "And you said no!"

"I told you…" She trailed off, her eyes closing. Yes. He had a point there. Her nostrils flared, blowing out a breath, her mouth still closed. It wasn't like that though. "Landry…I…I didn't say yes, because…not because I don't love you."

Landry shook his head. "Yeah, you still love me. You said that."

"I put it in the email that you didn't read," she said, looking up. They were locked in here, might as well tell him. She flung her arms out to the side. "I didn't marry you because I was scared!"

"Scared? Scared of what? Of the ring? Of marrying me? Not having a way out?"

"Yes!" she yelled. She pushed to her feet, wanting to cry. She pushed her fingers through her hair. "No…I don't know." This was so not like her, moping over a boy like this. The way she had with him. Not being able to sleep some nights and then sleeping all day. Drowning in sorrow and then throwing herself into work. It hurt her the first time she broke up with him, because he was getting too smothering. It hurt her even more the second time, when she ignored all his calls, thinking that it was easier to just break it off that way.

And yes, that was wrong. She knew it was wrong. Knew it was horrible and cowardly and she apologized to him nonstop, the night after they hooked up at the wedding. He forgave her, or so she thought.

She sniffed a little, his image going all wavy in her eyes. "Yes Landry, I was scared, okay? I was scared, because…" Ugh. "I…I was scared because…"

"Because what?"

"Because…"

"Why?" he demanded again.

She yelled through grit teeth, staring at him sitting on the frilly comforter of the bed, looking too masculine for this very girly room, which was kind of driving her crazy. Too many damn flowers. "Because it wasn't supposed to be you!"

They plunged into silence. Landry blinked, reaching to adjust his glasses. He closed his mouth, taking a few deep breaths. "What?" he whispered.

It was stupid, she thought, frowning a little, looking down at her hands. She whispered, slumping back to the floor. "It wasn't supposed to be you," she repeated.

"What the hell does that mean Tyra? It was supposed to be Tim? Supposed to be someone else entirely? What?"

It was hard to think about, but…when he proposed she just…she didn't see the ring or a future with him. All she saw was the past. It didn't make sense for someone who was happy and secure in their life, but…lying in bed for the last two weeks, she'd thought hard about it, finally sending him an email last night, putting it into words. Which he clearly didn't read.

She whispered. "I didn't want to get married Landry. I didn't want to tie myself to someone…I still have plans…I…I wasn't supposed to find someone that I did want to be with forever like that. To tie myself to legally or something. I saw my mom and…and what it did to her." She cleared her throat, whispering again, digging her finger into a knot on the hardwood floor. "And…and it wasn't supposed to be you. It wasn't supposed to be Tim. When…when I found that person…"

That one person that she found she did want to spend the rest of her life with…that one person she knew would be the end all and be all…not that she'd make her life about a guy, she saw that with her mother, she didn't want it. Shaking her hair over her shoulders, she lifted her eyes again to Landry, who was watching her with rapt attention. "When I found the person I did want to marry, when my dreams came true and I was out of Dillon and I was in a great job and I was making a difference and happy and…when that happened? It wasn't supposed to be someone from Dillon."

There. She said it.

Landry narrowed his eyes. He swallowed a few times, his throat bobbing, looking down at his hands, fiddling with a stray string on the comforter. He whispered, "So you said no?"

"So I said no."

He got up from the bed, walking over to sit beside her on the floor, beneath the window. His hands folded in his lap, waiting a moment.

Say something, she begged.

"You know Tyra…it's a nice idea, to have everything perfect in your life. Did you ever think maybe that you did have it all right now?"

Yes, she immediately thought. Her dreams came true. I am out of Dillon forever. I come back to visit but never to stay. I am making a difference. I have a great career. I'm smart and successful and I have a freaking killer shoe collection.

She licked her lips, glancing his direction again. "I love you Landry. Matt and Julie's wedding…we were drunk and stupid and silly and we got together and I just…I didn't want to say goodbye when it was over."

"So we didn't."

"And five years later, I love you more. I guess…" She thought about the very house they were sitting in. The little terrorist who was singing at the top of her lungs downstairs. "I guess it's like Tim and Lyla."

"Huh?"

"They were apart for a long time. They got back together as adults. It's different when you're not a teenager…you have perspective. You have experience. You fall out of love with this kid and then…" She compared it to Matt and Julie, who never did fall out of love. It just grew with them. Or like Coach and Mrs. T, she imagined.

She took another breath. "They fell out of love and then something happened and they started over, they made a pact and honored it and fell back in love again. So…I didn't love you anymore, not like that and then there was the wedding renewal vow thing in Chicago and… I fell back in love with the kid who had a crush on me forever," she whispered, smiling a little.

Across the room, she spied a picture hanging with a couple others of Sera and Lyla. It was the only photo with Tim in it, at least in this room. She pointed to it. "Do you notice something there?"

Landry shrugged. "It's a picture."

"What's different about it? From most pictures? The others?" It was something she noticed one day, standing in the living room, looking around at the pictures that Lyla put up everywhere. The woman was obsessed with documenting things, her favorite subject obviously being Sera, who was a ham and adored getting her photo taken.

It hit Landry a second later, whispering. "Tim isn't looking at the camera."

"No. He never does." Tyra smiled. "He always, always looks at Lyla or Sera. Never at the camera. It's…" She shrugged, whispering. "It's his whole world and I realized what that was…it's scary, Landry. To realize that and when you proposed all these feelings…I just got…scared and…and a bit angry. You knew I put that ultimatum down, you know I said it was the one thing I didn't want and you were still doing it."

"Because you always put down the law of the land Tyra and maybe I was just sick of it."

Yes, she deserved that. "I promise I'll work on that," she whispered, smiling a little, reaching to cover his hand with hers. Landry waited a moment, turning his hand over to squeeze hers. She cleared her throat. "With you I'm different. With you I am Tyra, the girl who got out of Dillon. With you…with you I am…this other person who…who was hidden beneath the anger and the pain and…and hate." She wiped at her eyes, turning to look at him. "And you helped me find that person…I owe you in a lot of ways and I hate that and I…I was scared. I was scared of marriage and…and letting go of that person somehow."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because," she laughed, wiping at her eyes. God, she hated crying. It always made her feel like her face was swelling up, like she'd gotten stung by a bee or something. "Because I didn't want you to think less of me. This weepy girl."

"You are a girl."

"Shut up. Not that girl."

Landry smiled a little, whispering. "You're strong. You've always been strong, Tyra. You would have gotten out of Dillon without me and…and you don't need to be this person…you don't need to be scared."

He blew out a hard breath, whispering a moment later. "But I can't keep following behind you two paces. I don't want to walk in front of you either. I just want to walk side by side."

She nodded, swallowing hard. "I'm sorry," she breathed. She shook her head. "I'm sorry I made you think that you had to…to take a step behind."

"I'm not going to take any more of it Tyra. You need to know that. Need to know that it was…wasn't right."

No, it wasn't. She closed her eyes, nodding. "I am sorry."

"I am too." Landry ran his hand over his hair, reaching to adjust his glasses a minute later. "Tyra?"

"Yeah?"

"I do love you still, I just…I think we still need some time apart."

"Yeah," she agreed. They did. Maybe to figure out some of their own personal baggage. She closed her eyes. "I love you Landry. I really, really, love you and I'm…I'm really glad we got drunk together at Matt and Julie's vow thing."

He chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, me too. Happy they had no money to get married the first time and waited until five years later to have the ceremony." He turned his head, whispering. "You know, Sera was gathering intelligence earlier, right?"

"What?"

"In the tree, with you. We had a conversation in the kitchen. She's been planning this from the start."

Tyra closed her eyes, reaching to rub at her face, falling backwards onto the bed. "I don't know what to make of any of that. She's seven!"

"Tyra, she locked us in a room! She's not seven in her mind."

Behind the door, they heard Sera yell. "I heard that!"

Both of them exchanged a look and began to laugh. Laugh instead of cry, but also laugh because of the absurdity of this. Locked in a room by a seven-year old wannabe Broadway star with a strange talent for getting what she wanted without doing a thing.

Tyra sat back on her elbows, whispering. "Are we going to be okay?"

Landry nodded. "I really hope so."

"Can we…we can take a breather or something, but…can we have a date set? For…whenever…" she trailed off. A cut off date. To decide whether it was worth another shot or if they should go their separate ways because maybe they were so different and wanted such different things.

He sighed, glancing out the window. "How about Sera's birthday? That's in what?"

"Four months, three weeks, and one day!"

He pointed back to the door. "Yes. That."

That sounded fine. Tim and Lyla usually had a big party for Sera's birthday, so…she'd come back for that, she always did. Four months. Sounded like a plan.

Landry looked back at the door. "Sera! Any luck on that adult coming to help us?"

"Did you guys make up?"

"Yes," he yelled.

There was a pause, until Sera called out again. "I believe you. I'll make a phone call."

Tyra could only laugh.


	8. Freedom!

**Chapter Eight: Freedom!**

"Sera, what did you do this door?"

"I just shut it Grandpa!"

"Your father needs to hire someone to do this stuff."

Landry heard Buddy Garrity grumbling on the other side of the door about Tim's lack of finesse with craftsmanship or some nonsense. "Um, Mr. Garrity? Isn't Tim a contractor?"

"He can build, doesn't mean he can put on the accessories!"

He just let Buddy fiddle with the doorknob some more, walking away from the door to join Tyra sitting on the floor beneath the window. They'd been in this damn room for a little over two hours now. He was in dire need of water and he knew Tyra had to pee.

The window was looking like a legitimate exit strategy.

He looked up at it, shrugging. "It's not that far of a jump, one of us could probably land on the roof of the kitchen."

She arched an eyebrow. "It's a two-story fall, Landry. I don't feel like breaking my neck."

"Just saying." He was glad they'd found some sort of common ground for their problems. Whether in the end they made sense or not. At least he didn't think that she…she didn't love him anymore or something, like he had when she'd said no. She'd been so calm about it.

He reached over and squeezed her hand. A moment later, she returned the squeeze.

"I love you," she whispered.

Landry nodded, but said nothing. He hit his head back against the wall. "So much for babysitting, huh?"

"Lyla told me that like six months ago, when Mrs. Taylor was babysitting, Sera got into the trash and found all the pregnancy tests Lyla took. She thought they were markers, so she put them in Mrs. Taylor's bag and when Mrs. Taylor went to get a pen, she pulled out the pregnancy test. In front of a board meeting. Sera got a talking to."

He snorted. "Matt told me that once Sera got into his bag when he was visiting and took all the paint and put it on Tim's truck. He said he'd never seen Tim look speechless in his life at the words 'I love you Daddy' scrawled in pink paint on his truck."

"He drove around in that truck for about a month before it finally washed off."

"Apparently parents do crazy things for their children."

"Billy once had the twins shave his head, just so he'd look like them when they had to do it because they got lice at school."

"Billy probably had lice too."

"Ew, you're right." Tyra looked up when the doorknob wiggled. "How's it coming Mr. Garrity?"

"Still working on it Tyra!"

"I'm going to sing you guys a song, okay?"

"Sera!" he called, shaking his head. "I don't think so."

"Oh I do think so. I have to practice."

"You've been practicing all day!"

"Practice makes perfect Uncle Lance!"

He turned his head to Tyra. "Did she just call me Lance?"

"She's been nannied by Coach Taylor for the last two years."

"I think he does it just to annoy me," Landry mumbled.

A few minutes later, the door finally popped open.

"Thank God," Tyra exclaimed, jumping to her feet.

Sera burst into the room. "Oh my gosh, are you guys alright!?"

"Your dad is going to hear about this," Buddy told her, wagging the screwdriver down at her. "And your mom."

Sera wrinkled her nose, looking up at both of them. "I think we should keep this between us."

"Oh I don't think we should," Landry said, turning and guiding her out of the room and down towards the stairs. "I think your dad and mom will definitely hear about this."

"Speaking of," Buddy said, gesturing towards the door. "I'm going to get back to the hospital. I think Lyla was going to take the baby out herself."

Sera scowled. "This baby sounds more trouble than he's worth."

"You'll like him in the long run," Landry advised.

"You don't have any brothers or sisters Uncle Landry so how do you know?"

"I learn by observing and I've observed a lot."

The little girl flung herself down on the couch, mumbling. "This baby is going to ruin my plans!"

Tyra chuckled. "She sounds like me."

Sera rolled onto her back, quickly sitting up. "I need to practice my last song, can I sing it for you?" Her eyes twinkled. "It's a good one."

The house phone rang, so Tyra went with Sera while Landry went to answer the phone. Buddy was already gone, probably halfway to the hospital by now. He picked up the phone. "Riggins Residence."

"He's here."

Landry frowned. "Hello?"

Tim sounded exhausted. "He's finally here. Ten pounds, two ounces. Twenty-two inches long. He's massive. He's like the size of five Seras when she was born. Lyla's fine, she's asleep. They drugged her in the end."

Wow. Big kid, he thought, laughing. "Well, I'll be sure to tell Sera. By the way, your daughter's insane."

"Oh hey, yeah, you're out of the room, Buddy must have gotten you out."

"Said you need to work on your craftsmanship."

"Buddy's never built anything in his life except a bunch of debt. I'm a fine craftsman. Bring Sera by the hospital after six, Lyla will probably be awake and then she can see her brother."

Landry couldn't help but smile, especially hearing the pride in Tim's voice. "So what's his name?"

"TJ. Taylor Jason Riggins."

"Not Tim Junior?"

"Yeah right."

After a few minutes of ensuring everyone was happy and healthy, Landry hung up, returning to the living room, pausing in the doorway. Sera was singing the last of her Lion King songs, "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?" Again.

The little girl was very good, he thought, listening to her sing, dancing back and forth on the fireplace hearth, like she was on a stage. That kid was born for a stage, he thought, his eyes darting towards Tyra, who was watching with rapt attention.

He smiled, walking to sit beside her, leaning to whisper. "Nice song."

She turned her head, returning the smile. "It is nice."

Sera came to an end, hopping off the hearth. "I'm amazing," she announced. She rubbed her hands together, almost diabolical. "I'm a better singer than mean Missy Evans. She wants to be Simba, but I sing better than her."

Tyra scowled. "She's the one who calls you Bubble Girl, right?"

"Yes, she's very mean."

"Kick her in the shins."

"Uncle Coach says that's not nice. So does Mommy." Sera looked at Landry, crawling up to sit beside him. "So when am I getting the brother?"

"Actually, I just talked to your dad and he's here. His name is TJ. Taylor Jason, we'll go see him and your mom in a few hours, is that okay?" Landry asked her, even though he didn't care if it was okay or not.

Sera shrugged. "I guess." She wiggled her toes in front of her. "I want to play in my room some more." She got off the couch, returning to her playroom.

A few hours later, while he finished up with some interview stuff, which he was sure he was going to cancel now and Tyra went out onto the porch to read, Sera returned to the living room, announcing. "I want to go see my baby brother now please, can we do that?"

Entering the house from the porch, Tyra chuckled. "I think that's great. Let's get going."

Landry watched, smiling as she got Sera ready to go. Reaching into his pocket, he searched for his car keys, finding nothing. Huh, where did he put them? He swore they were…he knelt on the floor, checking beneath the couch, and looking in his bag and…

"Looking for these?"

Landry sat up, scanning the living room, finally stopping on the sight of Sera in the doorway to her playroom, holding his car keys. He scowled. "Where did you get those?"

"I'll never tell."

So she was a pickpocket now as well as a mimic and a manipulator. As well as a matchmaker and a pretty good singer.

Sera Riggins was a kid of many talents.

He stood up, laughing a little. "I'm not even going to ask. Give me the keys."

"Can I drive?"

"No," Tyra answered, walking her out of the front door. "You're too young."

"When can I drive?"

"When you're 1000."

"That doesn't seem fair at all."

Landry switched his glasses for his sunglasses, walking towards his rental car. "Life really isn't always that fair, Sera. Lesson number one."

Sera smiled, climbing into the backseat of the car. "I did get you guys to make up and say sorry, right?"

Tyra exchanged a look with him, smiling slightly. "That wasn't just you, Sera."

"But I helped."

Landry backed out of the driveway. "Yes, you did."

"You know we forgot Simba."

"Simba's fine, he can't come to hospitals."

Sera piped up again from the backseat. "That's discrimin…discrim…it's not right."

"Not really," Tyra said, gesturing towards the window. "Look out the window. Let's play a quiet game, we'll practice for when you're seeing the baby, first one who is loud loses."

"I suck at this game."

"Well, maybe if you try, you'll win, let's start now."

Landry glanced in the rearview mirror, watching Sera almost vibrating. For a little girl who tried to be very strong and unaffected, she was nervous and excited and scared, all at once, whether because she was going to the hospital or she was seeing her brother or what, but…he grinned.

She might act tough, but she was still a little marshmallow inside.


	9. Sera Meets Her Brother

**Chapter 9: Sera Meets Her Brother**

Tyra walked with Sera down the halls, not really surprised at the little girl immediately grabbing hold of her hand when they walked into the hospital. Sera had been in hospitals a bit more than the average kid, mostly for her asthma and her allergies.

She swung Sera's hand lightly between them, making their way through the hallways and up the elevator to the OB wing, searching for the room Tim texted her.

They paused outside of room 201, Sera stopping hard in her tracks. She swallowed hard, shifting a little on her flip-flops. "You okay?" Tyra asked, glancing down at her. She smiled softly. "Sweetie, it's okay. Mommy's fine. She can't wait to see you."

Sera nodded quickly, nibbling at her bottom lip, her eyes darting around. She finally settled them on the floor. "What…what if the baby doesn't like me?" she whispered.

Tyra lifted her eyes to Landry, conveying silently to him to go on ahead, maybe explain the situation quickly to Tim and Lyla. She guided Sera away from the door to a window, kneeling back to her height. "The baby will love you," she whispered, smiling wide.

"I know it'll be a little different," she said, stroking Sera's hair from her face. She let her fingers linger on Sera's cheek, cupping it lightly, her other hand going to take Sera's hand. "The baby will…the baby will cry and he'll be smelly sometimes and he'll eat nonstop and now and then Mommy and Daddy might not be able to play with you or they might be really sleepy too, but…but you can help them. You can help with feeding the baby and giving him baths and even maybe changing one poopy diaper."

"Ew," Sera said, but she smiled.

Tyra smiled in return. "The baby is going to love you. One day he's going to look up to his big sister, the way that…" she trailed off, thinking of Mindy. Mindy was a great wife and a great mother and…and she was still Mindy. Crass and loud and…and still loveable. The same Mindy. She closed her eyes briefly. "The way that I look up to mine sometimes. The way that…that your Dad sometimes looks at your Uncle Billy."

Although that was a bit different, she thought, thinking it probably wasn't the best example. Billy looked up to Tim a bit more, even nowadays.

She reached to take Sera into her arms, hugging close. "You will be a great big sister and maybe you can even sing TJ some lullabies, because you're a very good singer and you will get that part, I know you will."

Sera smiled into her shoulder, pulling away a second later. She whispered. "Is Mommy okay?"

"Mommy's fine," Tyra promised.

"What if they don't want me anymore?"

Stevie and the twins had that same fear when Jimmy came along, if she remembered right to her nephews. Tyra put her hands on Sera's shoulders, her voice firm. "Your parents love you. You don't understand now, but one day you will realize how hard they worked for you, how much they wanted you, and how very happy they were when you were born. They love you Sera, they let you sing and they let you dance, and they let you and Uncle Coach take over the football field. They let you do a lot of things, more than most kids, and they do it because they love you."

She smoothed her hand on Sera's cheek, whispering, her eyes twinkling. I'm the cool aunt, she thought, grinning wide at Sera. "Your parents wanted you more than they wanted anything Sera. Now that TJ's here, they will only want you more, to help them and to help love him, and they will make sure the both of you are always happy and healthy, okay?"

Sera swallowed hard, nodding quickly. She bit her bottom lip, whispering after a second. "Is Mommy okay?"

"Mommy is fine, I promise." Tyra stood, taking Sera's hand and leading her to the room. She knocked lightly on the door, stepping inside, Sera hiding a little behind her legs.

On the bed, Lyla was holding a blue-wrapped bundle, grinning widely, looking unfairly put together for a woman who just spent the better part of an entire day in labor. "Hi baby," she breathed, seeing Sera.

A nurse took TJ, just in time for Sera, who rocketed across the room, to launch herself up into Lyla's arms, crying into her shoulder that she missed her. "I missed you too," Lyla whispered, kissing her cheek, turning her a little on the bed. "But let's get off Mommy's tummy, ouch…thank you, sit there please, here…"

At the urging of the nurse, Sera washed her hands and they gave her a little paper gown to put on over her clothes, to help protect against germs. Tim leaned against the bed, holding her arms carefully as the nurse lowered TJ into them.

Sera looked down at him, her eyes wide, in awe. "He's big," she said, looking up at everyone. She wrinkled her nose. "He's got a smashed face. Why does he have bruises?"

"He fought hard to get down from the cloud he came from," Lyla said, covering quickly when Tim just looked blank at the answer.

Tyra stood off to the side with Landry, smiling wide as he stepped over a minute later, taking pictures with his cell phone. Sera's smile was almost as wide as her parents, before she finally let it fall, looking back down at TJ. "He's okay," she finally decided. She waved at her new brother. "Hi baby brother."

Lyla laughed, but then began to cry, forcing the nurse to take the baby from her, putting him back in the bassinet and taking him back to the nursery. Tim tried to calm both Lyla and Sera, who also began to cry now because her mother was crying.

A little while later, Landry was making phone calls of some unknown matter in the hallway, while Sera cuddled with Lyla, who was asleep, leaving her standing near the window, looking down at the parking lot, waiting for Landry to finish so they could take Sera home.

"Hey."

Tyra turned, smiling at Tim. "Hey you, congratulations, I didn't get to say so yet," she said, hugging him tightly. She kissed his cheek. "Figured you'd have another girl. Karma and all that."

Tim shrugged. "Sera is enough karma for me."

"Wait until she starts dating."

"Whatever boy has the cojones to ask her out, I kind of want to meet him one day."

"You'll change your mind," she chuckled, kissing his cheek again. She squeezed his hand, whispering. "Your daughter is pretty damn special Tim. The best and occasionally the worst parts of you and Lyla…all rolled into one neat little package that can really sing and act and dance and mimic everything."

"Yeah," Tim whispered, looking over at Sera, who was fast asleep in Lyla's arms. He smiled slightly, his eyes downcast. "She's pretty special."

"She got Landry and I to…" Tyra sighed. Insane. Insane that a seven-year old could get them to talk. She ran her tongue over her teeth. "She's pretty good at matchmaking."

"Or manipulation," Tim teased. He sighed, his hands going into his pockets. "You can leave her here, I'll bring her back to the house, stay with her. If you don't mind can you…" His phone buzzed in his pocket. "Hang on." He removed the phone, frowning and lifted it up to his ear. "Coach?"

On the bed, Sera stirred, stretching and opening her eyes up. "Can I go home?" she mumbled, holding her arms out.

Tyra carefully lifted her up and out of the hospital bed, leaving Lyla undisturbed. "Yeah, we'll get you home, let's wait for your Daddy. Kiss Mommy night, night."

"Night, night."

"Hey." Tim walked over from the window, handing her the phone, whispering so they didn't wake Lyla. "You have someone who wants to talk to you."

Sera smiled a little, holding the phone to her ear. "Hello?" She giggled, running out into the hall. "Hi Uncle Coach! Yes, I got them out of the room."

Landry came back in from the hallway. "We ready to go?"

"You can leave her here," Tim said, hands in his pockets. He sighed. "I need to get sleep, plus she's talking to her Uncle Coach, it'll be awhile."

"That's a relationship I don't think I fully understand," Tyra said.

"Join the club," Tim yawned.

A few minutes later, after saying goodbye, sort of, to Sera, Tyra and Landry left the hospital, driving back to the farmhouse to check on Simba and gather their things. She wasn't sure what to do with this all now. She'd be going back to her old house to spend the night with her mom and get on a plane back to D.C. at the end of the week.

He had…interviews, he said. His stuff was still in her townhouse back home.

They left the house, shutting the door, standing on the porch and waiting. Tyra tossed her hair out of her eyes, whispering. "I'll see you…around."

Landry smiled a little. "Yeah…um…those interviews…I'm going to cancel them."

Her heart beat a little faster. "You'll stay in D.C.?"

"We'll see, but…I won't leave just yet."

She smiled a little. After a moment, he leaned in, brushing his lips against hers. She kissed back, just as light and soft, her fingers reaching to his face. After a moment, he pulled away, smiling. Tyra let her hand drop to her side. "I'll…see you in four months."

I hope, she thought.

Landry just smiled. "Bye Tyra." He stepped off the porch, walking back to the car. He leaned on the open door, calling out. "Tell Sera thanks."

Tyra just grinned.

Yes, they really did owe that little girl a hell of a lot of thanks.


	10. Four Months Later (Epilogue)

**A/N: **Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be much interest in this fic, so I just posted the remaining chapters for those who were interested. Thank you to the people who did review, I hope you enjoyed this story.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Four Months Later (Epilogue)**

_Four Months Later_

"Seraphina Riggins," Lyla hissed, snapping her fingers and pointing away from the crib, her voice tight. "I'm not telling you again, you leave your brother alone, he's sleeping."

Sera scowled. "I want to carry him in the thing."

"Where did you find that?"

"Daddy left it on the floor."

Lyla scowled at Tim, walking over and unclasping the baby bjorn from Sera's chest, guiding her out of the room. "This is not a toy. It's to carry your brother. For adults to carry your brother."

"This is my birthday."

"That doesn't mean you can do whatever you want, we've had this discussion before, and don't you make that face at me, I am your mother."

"My warden."

"Excuse me young lady!?"

"Daddy says it."

Lyla looked up, hissing at Tim. "Stop saying that I'm the warden!"

"I didn't say anything!" Tim exclaimed from the other room. "This time," he mumbled under his breath, but loud enough for Lyla to scowl at him.

Watching the situation unfold from the doorway of the guest bedroom, Tyra smiled, her hand over her mouth, hiding it. Sera honestly couldn't be disciplined because most of the time she just made the adults around her want to crack up laughing. Or stare at her in shock.

At eight, you'd think she would be more…tactful. Not really. Sera had Tim's "I don't care" attitude towards speaking and when she did speak, she did so with no filter. The now-eight-year old was infatuated with her little brother, wanting to take him around with her like a pet more than anything.

Tyra found that hilarious.

Naturally, there was jealousy; she could still see it, now that she'd been staying in the house for the last three days. The night before Sera wanted to sit in the chair with Tim, who had TJ with him. He told her to wait until he was done feeding her brother and she ended up sulking for much of the evening, no longer wanting to be near Tim.

The doorknocker banged throughout the foyer, sending Sera off running. "I'll get it! It's for me; I know it's for me! It's my birthday!"

"Seraphina!" Lyla hissed again, storming after her. The sound of Sera yelling set the baby off, crying from the bedroom.

Tim rolled his eyes, coming out of his room and dropping one of the presents that Sera had been littering around the house as she shook them, carried them around, and desperately tried to open them without really opening them.

The night before Tyra had been in the shower when Sera stuck a damn envelope between the curtains to steam it open and see if she got money from some random relative of Lyla's.

"I'll help you," Tyra said, stepping into the room ahead of him, walking over to the crib, where TJ was crying. She clicked her tongue, leaning into the crib. "It's alright sweetie, come on, that wasn't very loud, shh, shh…it's just your sister, you have to deal with her for many, many more years, and she wants to be on Broadway, so the singing isn't going to stop either, come on."

She talked quietly to the baby, lifting him up from the crib, her hand steading his back while he held his head up completely, peering around her, something he'd been doing for awhile now, according to Lyla, despite his young age.

TJ made a sound, his fingers flexing into her arms, still looking around. He made a bubbly baby giggle, obviously happy at something he was seeing. Tyra glanced over her shoulder, seeing Tim making a face at him. "You want to see Daddy?" she asked him, nodding and grinning when TJ glanced at her. "Yeah? Let's go see Daddy."

She made a surprised face when TJ squealed, his hands reaching out for Tim. "You know who it is already? Aren't you just a smart boy. Go to Daddy." She grinned as he melted instantly against Tim.

"Come here big guy," Tim took TJ from her, holding him up in his arm. He smiled softly at her. His voice was quiet. "You're good with babies. You should get one."

She rolled her eyes, snarking. "Yes, I'll just go down to the market and pick up one. Preferably a well-behaving child. Maybe one that's absolutely nothing like your daughter."

"Hey, she's a good kid."

"I am a perfect angel."

They both turned around, Sera standing in the doorway, her arms crossed. "How long have you been standing there?" Tim demanded.

"Forever."

"You know Sera, you're a little smart ass," he commented.

"Well I do take after my Daddy," she retorted, cocking her head and smiling. She walked over, holding her arms up. "Can I hold him? I want to show Uncle Coach my brother."

"Uncle Coach has seen your brother a billion times," Tim said, but he carried TJ with him, leaving the room and going downstairs, Sera following after, going on about how she needed to use him as a prop for her next musical at school.

Tyra waited a second, breathing deeply; preparing. She really hoped that Landry would be here. She turned, jumping back at Sera waiting by the door again. "Gosh Sera, you are like a little ghost."

"I'm light on my feet."

"Clearly."

Sera smiled innocently, holding her hands together in front of her. "You know Aunt Tyra…Uncle Landry is here."

"He is?" She cleared her throat, slowing her voice down a bit. "Um, he is?"

"Yes."

"That's nice."

Sera nodded. "Yes, it is nice. Do you want to go see him?"

Let's stop playing this game. She reached her hand out, taking Sera's and going with her down the stairs, talking over the sound of their shoes clicking on the hardwood floor. "Sera, you realize that you should probably go into business as a matchmaker right?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do."

Sera jumped off the last step, spinning around, the pink tutu she wore spinning a little over her black leggings, her feet in her flip-flops, to show off her multi-colored toenails. It clashed with her 33 jersey and the yellow flower in her dark hair.

She walked backwards, smiling again, her eyes twinkling. "I don't know what you're talking about," she repeated.

You little…Tyra pursed her lips, hiding her smile. She cleared her throat, walking by Sera. "Okay. Whatever. Go find your Uncle Coach."

"Uncle Coach! Come see my brother!" Sera yelled, taking off for the backyard.

Pretty much the entire town of Dillon had arrived, which always fascinated Tyra, especially since Tim hated people in his house, but Lyla put up with it, which meant he would. It always cracked her up.

She walked away from the crowd, going to the tree and looking up. There was a treehouse in it now, looking similar to the actual house. "Tim you're a pushover," she mumbled, knowing Sera had only to ask and she would receive. Sera knew it too.

"Hey."

Tyra turned quickly on her boot heel, her arms over her chest. And here we go, she thought, smiling a little. "Hey Landry."

"Hey," he said, his hands in his pockets. He looked over his shoulder. "Matt and Julie are here. I can't believe their kids are 10 already."

"I know. Seems like forever ago they were…acting silly and had no idea what the hell they were even doing." None of us knew what we were doing, she thought, scanning the crowd. She frowned. "Is Coach Taylor seriously dancing with Sera?"

"You think Tim's wrapped around her finger? I think Coach Taylor can't say no to her."

"That's funny." She waited a beat before shrugging. "So?"

"So…"

"So it's been four months. It's Sera's birthday."

Landry smiled a little. He stepped towards her, reaching to touch her shoulders. "I'm giving you another ultimatum."

"Oh?" She didn't like the sound of that.

"Wait until Sera gets her cake." Landry took a step back, smiling a little. "We'll see then."

What the heck was that about?

A few hours later, when Lyla brought out Sera's Lion King cake, Tyra stood nervously, unsure what she was getting herself into. She nibbled on her thumbnail, standing beside Julie and Mrs. Taylor. "What are you nervous about?" Julie asked.

"I don't know. It's Sera Riggins. She might throw that cake on all of us just so see what we do."

"That was only the one time and to be honest, Buddy kind of deserved that pie in his face," Tami said.

Julie and Tyra turned their heads slowly. "What?" Julie demanded. "She threw a pie in Mr. Garrity's face?"

Tami blinked. "You didn't hear that story?"

"Someone needs to write a book on this kid," Julie mumbled, her eyes kind of lighting up a bit. Well that sealed it, Tyra thought, there'd be a bestseller on the shelves in a year on the Adventures of Sera Riggins. Like Tom Sawyer, only a girl. With a ton of allergies and a serious need for chaos.

Sera clapped her hands before she blew out her candles. "I have an announcement!" she yelled.

"What do you have to say for yourself Sera?" Buddy asked, standing beside her.

She shot him a look. "Grandpa, I'm speaking."

"Sorry."

She cleared her throat. "As I was saying, I have an announcement." She turned her head slowly, boring holes into Tyra. "Aunt Tyra."

"Yes?"

"Are you going to marry Uncle Landry or what? I'm waiting." She threw her arms in the air, exasperated. "You guys exhaust me!"

Obviously a quote, Tyra thought, her eyes widening. But still. "Excuse me?"

"I have to work and work and you guys are still not back together? What do I have to do!? Lock you in a room again? Like I did Mommy and Daddy? They had TJ after I locked them in the room."

Lyla groaned into her palms in mortification, while Tim took two strides forward, hauling Sera up and away. "Alright we're done here. Everyone get cake!"

"I guess that explains the condoms in the survival box we found," Tyra mumbled.

Landry grinned. "Clearly they were too late."

Tyra turned her head to glance at him, smiling behind his hand, looking her way, standing beside Matt. She made a move to stand closer to him, but Sera appeared, blocking her way. "Shouldn't you be eating cake?" she asked.

Sera cocked her head, reaching into her pocket and removing a box. "This is for you."

"Where did you get this?" she demanded.

"I'll never tell."

"Sera."

"I stole it."

"Seraphina," Lyla warned.

Sera rolled her eyes. "Okay I didn't steal it." She turned her head, taking off towards her father, Lyla just storming after her, and yelling at her to slow down.

Tyra opened the box, looking down at the same ring that four months ago Landry attempted to propose to her with. She took a deep breath, slowly letting it out. "Wow."

"What are you going to say?" Tami asked, standing next to her.

She lifted her head, looking around at the people. Four months. It had been nice, even if she missed him. Tyra bit her bottom lip, her eyes landing on Sera, who was tackling Tim, both of them yelling loudly as Coach directed her in the play, Lyla standing nearby with TJ, talking to Mindy and Billy.

It wasn't so scary.

She slipped the ring onto her finger, walking off the porch over to Landry. "Shut up," she warned him, when he opened his mouth. "And kiss me."

"Don't mind if I do," Landry answered, leaning in to kiss her, but stopping when a loud squeal sounded near them.

"I get to be flower girl!" Sera yelled, running by them, somehow appearing again. Little ghost. She flung her arms around Tyra. "Please, please, please! Can I sing at the wedding too? I want to sing!"

"Sera! Leave them alone, get over here and show me that play again, I need to take some notes," Coach yelled.

Sera made a face, but trudged back to him, leaving them alone.

Tyra just laughed, her arms around Landry's neck. "Wow."

"I know."

"We are going to get married here," she said, leaning in to kiss him lightly. She smiled again. "And Sera can be our flower girl."

"She should get her own matchmaking business."

"I think she's going to end up ruling the world."

"Or starring on Broadway if she has her way."

"Can we agree one thing though?" Tyra asked, smiling at him. She shook her head when he frowned a little, nodding. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sera and Coach fighting over something, before Sera started to giggle, throwing her arms around Coach, hugging tight and then taking off to play with Henry and Lori and all the other Riggins kids scattered about.

Landry nodded. "Okay….what?"

She sighed, her arms going around him and hugging tight. "We are done babysitting Sera Riggins. She's all Coach Taylor's."

"Imagine what's going to happen with TJ."

She groaned. And could only imagine.

Either way, that was going to be Coach Taylor's problem.

He was their nanny, after all.

**THE END**


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